by Ellis, Eliza
Keke about-faced back to her starting position and walked across the room again. This time, Pete’s blush didn’t come in so dark, and his eyes held half the amount of fear. Better.
He gripped her hand. “Hi. I’m Peter.”
Keke shook his hand with a grin. “Nice. Your voice didn’t shake, nor did it squeak.”
This time, he snatched his hand away. “I’m not a kid anymore.”
Got that right. “No, but you still act like one.”
He narrowed his dark eyes at her and took a step forward. “Have we met?”
Keke’s breath caught at the intensity in his gaze. “What?”
Pete flashed an impressive smile. “You must be new here. Welcome to Headley Campground. If you need anything, let me know.”
Keke blinked, still blinded by his megawatt smile. When did he develop that? She finally understood what he was doing. “I am new. I think I got it covered. It’s summer camp. You lead kids around, tell ghost stories around the campfire, eat s’mores, right?”
“I love s’mores. I like it when the marshmallow is burnt. Has that nice, crispy layer to it, and it just oozes out and runs down your chin.” His index finger peaked over the curve of his bottom lip and dragged down his chin.
Keke’s heart thundered in her ears. She held up her hand. “Okay, okay. What are you trying to do?” She had to stop the onslaught of heat creeping up her own neck.
Pete shrugged. “What? You said talk to her—”
“Right. Talk to her. Not impregnate her with your words.”
His brows meshed. “I don’t get it.”
Keke stared at him for a moment. Innocence clear as day in his eyes. He had no idea the effect of his presence—when used to his advantage. She started again. “It’s too soon.”
“Too soon for what?”
“To get her hot and bothered over gooey marshmallows that run down your chin,” she said sarcastically. “You’re coming on too strong. Save that for the kissing.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Kissing…”
“Please tell me you’ve at least kissed a girl.”
He looked away.
“Not even once?”
He bit his bottom lip, his eyes apologetic.
Keke’s eyes rounded. “In all of high school?”
“No! Okay?” He slapped her side with a pillow and then tossed it at the head of the bed. “Stop teasing me.”
Keke chortled. “You can’t deny me that, Petey. That just wouldn’t be fair.”
He groaned. Frustration marred his face in the red streaks across his cheeks. “How was I supposed to kiss a girl if I couldn’t even get my name out of my mouth?”
Keke arched a brow. “Good point. Well, for you maybe it’s not that easy. But there is a way.”
He was within inches of her in a flash. “How?” he breathed.
Her body instinctively swayed toward him, and she took a step back. “Swagger. Have you ever seen a guy walk up to a girl, back her against a wall, and kiss her?”
Pete sighed and nodded. “Yup. Taylor Morgan.”
“Who’s Taylor Morgan?”
“Showed up for senior year. The quintessential bad boy complete with a leather jacket he wore all year-round. How did he not sweat in May?”
Keke snorted. Springfield did tend to get a little warm in the spring and summer months. Even September smoked.
“Black hair?” Keke asked.
“And long enough that it curled over his forehead and at his neck,” he said dryly.
Keke fingered Pete’s dark brown curls that had fallen over his forehead. “I like this, by the way. And with the scruff”—she ran a finger over his jaw and it twitched—“which we’ll talk about later.”
“Nothing’s wrong with my beard,” he challenged, angling his head away from her touch.
“If you want to kiss a girl, you can’t be eating your hair.”
Pete grimaced. “I’ll let you have that one.”
“You let me? Ha! I won that one hands down.”
Pete grinned again. An easy smile that relaxed Keke. “And smile—like that. Say your name and smile. Master those two things first, and you’ll be well on your way.”
“Thanks.”
“That’s only lesson one. There’s more to come.”
“I have a feeling they’ll get harder.”
Keke laughed. “Depends on the work you put into it. You need to work to win a girl. A lot of it is effort. Put in the right amount, and she’s yours.”
A curious look crossed his features, like he was reducing effort to a math problem, only he was missing part of the equation. “What’s the right amount?”
“Varies, but if you get encouragement from her, you’ll have a pretty good idea. Give me one week, and you’ll have Lea begging you to stay here and not go to Cornell.”
Pete frowned. “How long are you staying? You have a job lined up here?”
Keke returned to the shelf and her pile of toiletries. “Just the week, as a favor to Bertie. After that, I’m out.”
“Out where?”
She finished placing the toiletries on the shelf and glided across the room to where he sat on one of the beds. “L.A. I’ve got an audition.”
His gaze shifted to her legs. “To dance?”
“Acting. There’ll be some dancing as well.”
He studied her face for a moment. Keke rubbed her arms, wondering what he thought, even though she shouldn’t care. Goosebumps formed the longer the appraisal lasted. Was he impressed?
“You didn’t come back for his funeral.”
Keke moved to the last untouched bed. Pete joined her, and they worked the sheet together. “Didn’t feel like I needed to. He’s dead. Great.”
“You really feel that way? About your own father?”
Keke bristled at Pete’s accusatory tone. If only her father had lived long enough to see her accomplishments. Then he would’ve had to admit how wrong he was about her. Admit how impressed he was.
“How I feel about it is none of your business.” She slammed the pillow at the head of the bed. “I never wanted to come back, period. I did it for Bertie. And like I said, at the end of this camp session, I’m out for good.”
Keke marched across the cabin toward the door.
“Wait, Keighly!”
She shoved the door open and left.
Chapter 5
“Your brother is a nuisance.”
Bertie popped the end of her string cheese into her mouth. “What else is new?” she said around the chunk.
Keke spied a container of frosting and began hunting the kitchen for a spoon. Sweets always made her feel better. And right now, she was craving buttercream icing. “You met that Lea girl, right?”
“Yeah. She’s pretty, which sucks.”
Keke laughed. “Why does it suck?”
Bertie shrugged. “I feel like I’m constantly surrounded by pretty girls. I’m tired of being the ‘duff.’”
Keke stuck her tongue out at her. “Stop being such a baby. And you’re not a duff!”
Although Keke meant to keep the conversation light and playful, she noticed Bertie’s face fall. She hadn’t ever heard Bertie talk like this before. Sure she had had body issues from time to time, but what girl didn’t? But considering herself the ‘duff’? The Designated Ugly Fat Friend? Bertie wasn’t anywhere near being overweight. She looked incredibly healthy.
Bertie handed Keke a plastic spoon from a package of plasticware she had opened. “I know you’re trying to eat that icing. Use this.”
Keke viciously grinned. She would conquer all the icing. “It’s my favorite food group.”
Bertie eyed Keke’s figure. “I don’t know where you put it.”
“In the workout.” Keke scooped some icing and then put the spoon into her mouth. She did a plie and rubbed her toned arms. “If you knew what it took to maintain this body.” She pointed the spoon at Bertie. “But let’s talk about you. Have you been working out? You look way mor
e toned than the last time I saw you—and no, you weren’t fat!”
“Seeing how the last time was right after graduation…”
“Are you ever gonna let that go?”
Bertie pursed her lips and gazed up. “One day, I promise.” She stopped stacking packages of paper plates. She looked over her shoulder at her backside. “And, yes, I have been working out. Lots of squats. My bum is too flat.”
“Being a dancer allows me to indulge from time to time. But I’ll probably have to skip the hotdogs and s’mores. And your booty is poppin’.”
Bertie giggled and then grimaced. “I love s’mores. They’re the best part about sitting around a campfire. With the smoke blowing in your face, at least you have warm marshmallows over melted chocolate and graham crackers.”
The thought of s’mores brought the image of Pete’s lips to mind. Keke shoved it aside, instead snickering over how incredibly clueless he was.
“What’s so funny?”
Keke met Bertie’s curious gaze. “Oh, your brother.”
Bertie’s lips fell to one side. “Uh-huh. I thought you said he was a nuisance. What’s he done now?”
“Why do you say it like he’s done something wrong?”
“’Cause it’s probably true. He hasn’t been bothering you, has he? I’m surprised he didn’t fall all over you when you two met out front. He’s usually so tongue-tied and lovestruck.”
“I seriously doubt that last part.”
But the rest of it was true…years ago. Keke used another spoon to scoop more icing out of the tub—a slippery slope—and while the icing slowly melted on her tongue, she contemplated Pete’s newfound confidence; in her presence at least.
She’d never heard him talk so much to her in her life. Yet, he could barely get his name out in front of Lea. But as soon as she was gone, he had no trouble speaking. Even going so far as to be a little snarky with her. Had she lost her effect on him?
Had little Petey actually outgrown his crush on her?
“He’s still tongue-tied,” Keke stated after the icing had slipped smoothly down her throat.
“Ah. Lea.”
“Yup.”
“Then I guess that means you’re safe?” Bertie said with a perfunctory nod.
Keke raised a brow. “Are you giving me permission to—”
“Our code is still in effect,” Bertie said sternly.
Keke made the surrender gesture with her hands while chuckling. “Relax. Lover boy clearly has eyes for Lea. He needs help in that department.”
“So much help.”
“Mmm-hmm. I’m…”
Bertie’s eyes narrowed. A hand moved to her hips. “You’re…?”
Keke shrugged and grinned. “I’m helping him.”
“Uh, helping him how?”
“Really, Bertie. I’m giving him tips on how to get the girl.”
Bertie laughed out loud. “What tips? What could you possibly say that’ll get him to—”
“Bertie, geez. What a sister you are.” Keke smarted under Bertie’s howling laughter. A couple of years ago, she would’ve done the same—probably did about half an hour ago—but now that they had begun their lessons, Keke felt invested in Pete’s success.
“What? If anyone finds this more amusing than me, it’s you.”
“True, but—”
“Then what?” Bertie’s laughter died, and her face became serious. “Why can’t I laugh at my brother? We always did when we were kids.”
Right. When they were kids. Things changed. Pete, for instance, had clearly put on about fifty pounds of muscle. Keke felt a little strange—and guilty—laughing at him behind his back.
Keke moved closer and lowered her voice, in case Pete chose that exact moment to come into the kitchen. “He’s really shy and—did your father teach him anything?”
“It’s hard to teach a kid anything if he’s playing video games all day.”
“Point taken. Look, Pete is…” She angled her head to the right to meet the rise of that shoulder.
“Hot?” Bertie’s voice fell like a rock.
Keke’s eyes went to the ceiling. “Well, he’s much improved, let’s leave it at that. But he could get any girl. When he finally goes to college and graduates without ever having kissed anyone, it’ll be the saddest story I’ve ever heard!”
Bertie’s jaw dropped. “He hasn’t…?”
Keke shook his head. “Now do you feel sorry for him?”
Bertie’s lips twisted into a frown. “Okay, maybe a teensy-weensy bit of sympathy.”
“So, you’re okay with me giving him some pointers?”
“What kind of pointers?” she asked while crossing her arms.
“Nothing major. Conversation, maybe how to ask her out. Simple stuff to get him started.”
Bertie stared at Keke so long that her insides began to twist. She could read her best friend’s mind but kept quiet in case Bertie didn’t have the guts to ask it out loud.
“And kissing? You’re going to give him pointers about that?”
Bertie always did have more courage than Keke.
“Uh—”
“’Cause I’m pretty sure that would violate the code.”
“No, it wouldn’t! I’m not with your brother.”
“Yeah, well, it violates the spirit of the code.”
“What? Explain.”
“Well, you’d have romantic physical contact with my brother. The point of the code is to not break his heart.”
Keke wasn’t so sure about the “spirit” being violated. The kiss would be purely mechanical. Nothing romantic about showing him the techniques of a swoon-worthy kiss. He didn’t know how, so she wasn’t in danger of getting “weak in the knees.”
But she did agree with the second part. If—a giant “if” at that—she did happen to be in a romantic relationship with Pete and it didn’t work, Bertie’s and her friendship might not survive. They wanted to avoid all the messiness, which meant little Petey was off limits.
“Stop worrying, Bertie. I’ll talk him through it. No physical contact.”
“Promise?”
Keke looked away. “Uh, sure. Besides, I’m helping him get Lea, who I think already kinda likes him by the way she was trying to take his eyes out by blinding him with her white teeth.”
Bertie had managed to dig another string cheese stick out of the refrigerator. She didn’t bother to peel it. She yanked a piece off with her teeth while laughing. “Couldn’t stop cheesin’, huh?”
“Nonstop. I felt like I was a third wheel, only I had to do all the talking because Petey just stood there.”
“You know he’s always been shy. Can hold a perfectly good conversation with an avatar. Not much good for anything else.”
Keke considered Bertie’s introverted brother and how he would fare in college. Going to Cornell, he would likely be surrounded with other brainiacs, so his shyness wouldn’t necessarily be that big of a problem.
But if he ever wanted to date? Let alone make out. He would have to practice with Lea, or he’d be a laughingstock. He didn’t need the pressure of never having kissed a girl, let alone the reputation.
“Well, when I’m through with him, he’ll have no trouble approaching a girl and pressing her up against a wall,” Keke said in dramatic fashion as she splayed herself against the nearest kitchen wall. Bertie laughed.
“What are you two laughing about—oh, hello, Keke! I barely recognized you. You’re so beautiful!”
Keke peeled herself off the wall and gave Judith Headley a hug. The woman was barely there. All bones. Did she lose weight? “Hi, Mrs. Headley. Thank you.”
Judith looked Keke over, her eyes beaming with pride. “And you’ve graduated, correct?”
“Yes, ma’am. Theatre and dance.”
“Oh! You were always a little performer. Your mother must be so proud.”
Keke held the grin in place. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, stop that, now. You’re making me feel old. Call
me Judith. It’s so good to see you, and I’m so proud that you finished. Been trying to get Bertie to go back to school and get her degree. Right, Bertie? The family needs you. Can’t let Peter be the only one using his brain.”
Keke’s eyes shot to her friend, whose gaze dropped to the floor. She didn’t respond to her mother’s prompting.
Bertie hadn’t finished school?
Last Keke heard, Bertie majored in accounting, and she’d be graduating this summer. Half the reason why Keke was here for a week was so Bertie could finish the work for her last class. She was lying about school the whole time? For how long?
Bertie looked everywhere but at Keke. She kept herself occupied by stacking and restacking the same few packages of paper plates and bowls all around the kitchen.
“We never did get to see you at the funeral, Keke. Wanted to tell you how very sorry we were to hear about your father.”
Keke offered a closed-mouth smile. Nothing more.
“I’m sure he would’ve been proud of your accomplishments. Theatre and dance! Are you going to perform on stage? Broadway, perhaps?”
Keke politely chuckled. “Was thinking more Hollywood.”
“Ohh!” Judith put a hand over her heart and leaned back quite theatrically. “So fancy! That’s where everyone wants to end up, I guess.”
Well, serious theatrical performances and dancers were supposed to cram themselves into tiny, dingy New York City apartments and battle each other for the few available parts—Hunger Games style. Keke barely considered that an option. Hollywood seemed to offer more opportunities to perform, from television to independent films and major studio productions. Besides, she’d rather live on the beach in a bungalow than in a stuffy, overpriced NYC apartment. She had lived in Middle America all her life; it was time to live by the ocean.
“I already have an audition. They’re looking for a dancer, and I’m really good.”
This time, Judith politely smiled. She patted Keke’s arm. “Yes, of course you are, dear. You always did very well in school plays.”
From some corner of the cafeteria, Bertie snickered. Keke’s back went rigid. Bertie had no reason to laugh at her audition—which was hard to secure. Sure, few made it, but Keke believed in herself, especially when no else would.
